George Bojaciuk

As soon as I figure out the glass trim, I'm on it! This is so far along, it's not funny!

In my next article, I talk about using urethanes safely. You get a much more superior finish, but there are precautions you have to take while using them. Nothing extraordinary!

When I worked for diecast companies, I had access to all kinds of parts cars. When you see 'em cheap, get 'em! My sole advice to you! So what's this you say? This is an AMT '70 Impala interior bucket. The seats and console are out of a Franklin Mint '70 Chevelle SS. They fold! With a bit of console detailing and some micro wood. I plan on a phantom '70 Impala SS454. In our family, growing up, we had 2 Impalas. My dad had one and so did my uncle. With a combo of parts, I can pull this off! I did it once with a Nova I built. Still looks awesome. This is a mix of scales and manufacturers. One thing I learned working at the Mint was that sometimes when things reduce in scale, they become visually smaller. We had to "pump-up" items to make them look more at home on a model. The big block came from a Motion Camaro kit since I could easily detail it. The kit engine looked quite small and un-threatening. Wheel and tires were from a diecast...FM's Chevelle SS to be exact! The display is a concept that I built in 6 weeks. It actually became a product known as the Corvette Diorama. They wanted me to tear this up and put it into a shadow box....uh, noooooooo! I made another over a weekend! Hope you enjoyed my tale of misery!

Another Pro Touring project planted by John McBride. This is a diecast Bullitt car. I stripped it and painted it with a then "modern" color. Hadn't really decided on wheels yet so I just threw these in the shot. Paint is nice and screams for Bare Metal foil and clear....that's where it's been for years....screaming from it's display case...for Bare Metal and clear. I have all the parts for it. If anything, by me showing you my graveyard, it tells you that even I have off times, mental blocks, loss of desire....uh, model-wise. You sometimes just have to grab a project and force yourself to finish it. Granted, life will get in the way. With the '55, I was coerced and shamed...uh, it was suggested by friends, that I finish it. How did I know my wife wanted a kitchen remodeled or a porch enclosed the minute I retired? ..and just so I don't leave this on an unlucky 13....I'll show you a tease to 14!

In the late '70's, I was a Speed Shop junky. Worked at a few and loved it. Crewed for a guy with a Super Stocker, as well. I always wanted to do a parts truck for a made up shop. During one of my adventures to NNL, either Maumee or NJ....I found this '79 Malibu, Sedan Delivery. It was perfect! I added these MRC wheels and tires and the idea is burned into my brain. The chassis came from an existing MPC kit, that I can no longer find, so I was torn in building a stock Black Knight or this puppy. Oh....it would have been a big block!

In keeping with my Motion theme...this was to be my '68 Camaro 427. MPB had the side exhausts, I had wheels and spent hours perfecting the hood graft. I even think this is a MPB hood. Body looks great and just a wipe and color, should make it ready for a deep gloss clear. I believe this is an old AMT kit. I honestly think this one went on the shelf and got forgotten.

I loved my Vega back in '73. Bought as many MPC kits as I could handle. This was originally painted my bronze color with a chamois interior! I even crudely made the GT dash! Over time it was rebuilt with a V8...just like my car was. Eventually, I took it apart and stripped the paint off. Opened up the rear wheelwells based off a '74 kit. I then had some custom graphics made in various sizes. The plan is for a Motion Super Vega 454 in Ontario Orange with black stripes. The driver's side wheel well still needs massaging....then don't I find out that there is a resin available with a crisp L88 hood! it's like jumping thru hoops to make a one of a kind only to have Ron Cash cast one up. (just a little jab at Karl!) There is a local car owned by Paul Ziemba that gave me the idea to open up the back end. It was a race car that was put back on the street recently. I still have a few '73 kits and do plan on doing my original GT!

This is my brother-in-laws '69 Mach I. It is a 351 2bbl car! The project stalled when he looked at the color and said it wasn't his color. I now have Indian Fire mixed up, but lost the will to finish this. I also couldn't find the non-shaker scoop, at the time. Someone had made a resin piece for me, but the front edge wasn't right and I would have had to come up with the intake screen. This was one problem after another....finally, when I worked for GMP and did their Mustang series, I came up with a scoop. This one is also filed under ancient history. When people ask me to do their car, I decline. They then insist and leave me a kit. I leave them with an open timeline.

LOL! This was a time where I assembly-lined a bunch of cars to do. I wanted a Rally Green Yenko in the worst way. I started at Franklin Mint and presented the program. They didn't get it. I had even started working on a FM diecast! Very detailed with discs on all 4's! My friend Paul Kravchak even offered to paint up a car for me with decals and photoetch. He used urethanes and he was our photopiece vendor. FM just didn't get the whole Yenko thing and killed the project.... I think Danbury Mint then came out with the model. Mine sits...waiting for TLC and final assembly. The original plastic model sits alongside waiting on it's fate.....Hummmm, might make a nice COPO!

This was also an ambitious project and actually a presented Franklin Mint Concept. I had asked Bosco's garage to build the Blue T/A. I did a white one. They trashed the white one. That use to pain me beyond belief! So, I was going to do another one, but with a manual trans. The blue car had an automatic. Luckily, I salvaged the blue car before it, too, saw the same fate as my white T/A!

This was an ambitious project! I was looking to do a 40th Anniversary Impala! The only kit at the time was a Snap kit. When I painted it a beautiful Anniversary Gold...I started noting that it was starting to crack. Over time, it was flaking off. The snap kit had a coating that I should have taken off. I only sanded it, which probably only aggravated the situation. You might note that the mirrors are off the door, console is converted to a floor shift and take note of the gauges....the finest work I had ever done. Today...blind as a bat!

Here, I was looking to do my 1:1 40th Anniversary Coupe! Managed to graft on a back end and it looked great! Back then, the '93 Coupe only came with the wide-butt ZR1 body. Had paint mixed up and all! When I worked at Franklin Mint, I even scored a parts diecast car ZR1, which gave me some nice, detailed seats that would fit! Then....Rick Hanmore sends me a model of my coupe........ I may revisit this in another color in the distant future....when I'm in a home...drooling on myself.

Probably as old as the '55 project....sigh! MCW Hemi Orange paint, from a can. Orange peeled badly. Started to sand and polish it until I hit primer, in spots. This was supposed to be a '70 Road Runner, using the Monogram GTX kit. Either a 440 + 6 or a Hemi. I was into the Monogram Bigs and Little tires, which you can see in the shot. Fred Cady decals would have given me the rest. Probably just needs a coat of paint and clear, and it's good to go....

This was the latest addition to the graveyard pile...This will also be seen in my next column (can you guess that it might be about paint?). I bought 2 Missing Link '71 Grabber's for a fictional father and son "project". Dad will have a Period Correct muscle Grabber and son will have a Pro Touring Grabber. Those happen to be Chevy Monza seats that fit perfectly! I picked up the wheel and tire set at NNL East this past year and this set was what got me back into the project. The first set gave the car too much rake (bigs and littles), so it sat for a couple of years. I just wasn't happy with the look and it didn't match what I wanted. The wheels were taken apart and painted Tamiya Gunmetal. The paint, as you can see, will be Camaro Synergy Green. The wheels and a home remodel held this up! I've also enclosed a picture of what I'm aiming for...courtesy of John McBride who feeds me ideas all the time...sigh! !

This will be in the next column....my long standing '55 Chevy project. It is years old ( I think it can drive, now!) but is holding it's own. I rubbed the roof to the point where I slightly disturbed the flake in the paint. I know it's there! Karl Sheffer, after seeing the defect, thought I was disturbed! Everything is pretty much engineered for a late '70's Street Machine. I was deciding between a LT-1 small block or a big block. You can see that I'm still playing with the interior. '66 Nova buckets fit, but the floor had to be cut and the seat tracks are offset. Rear springs were set in for the big rubber and yes, that is a 12 bolt rear! I'll eventually do a How-To article on this. The roof defect put the brakes on this, but I do plan on finishing the Bare Metal work and then clear the body with the new Testors Wet Clear.

Here is the first in a series from my stalled graveyard. I give you my GMC Typhoon! Based on an Art Anderson resin Blazer. Tells you how old this is! I shortened a Syclone chassis (yes, I did the exhaust and side ground effects, too!), and got pretty far along. I hit a wall when I added the rear windows. Tint was crappy. Any dust made it pool onto the dust nib. Finally just sprayed the backside flat black. The problem that halted this was the window trim. Evergreen didn't satisfy, wire didn't either. I may load up a syringe and try a bead of butyl. I have to be careful of what to use so as not to damage the glass. The real kicker is that this was probably the nicest paint I had done to date! The decals were custom made by Randy Moyer...ages ago. We did sellout the first run, at the time.

OK....to be realistic, I'll be 89 before I get all my stuff in the magazine.... would you guys be interested in seeing what I have in the queue? My pending projects for articles? Stuff has been around for years! If so....I'll be happy to share!

Hey All! Just wanted to let you know that I completed and sent Gregg my next column for "Running at Redline". He said he'd put it in ASAP as I wanted to tie into Tim Boyd's recent paint article. Since we are seeing urethanes creep into the hobby, I thought it wise to share a few things with you. In addition, you'll get a peek at my 18 year old workbench ornament and a new project, as well. These, I hope to detail in future columns. Now that I have officially and really retired, my plan to write again will happen. This current article was fun to write. Kinda' nice to be back at it. I hope to share many of the things I picked up along the way, with you. Hope you enjoy the piece! ...and OH, one more thing, as Columbo would say.... I have a whole shelf of started projects that I'd like to show you and give a reason why I stopped. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two to get the project completed. This should be fun!

I've been looking for an Eleanor kit for some time. A friend of mine bought the one from Germany. Nice kit, but not available - didn't help me at all. Researched a little and saw the name Greg Wann. After a few email exchanges, I have to tell you it was comfortable. I told Greg of my intentions and he wanted to send me a kit, on him. If you recall my days writing "Four Barrels, Four Speeds and Horsepower, I never accepted anything for free. I wanted to feel the pain everyone did, in buying something and working with it. My package arrived in no time! I was more than pleased with his casting and the "look" of the model. Greg even tossed in a body he cast, for fun. I have no reservations in recommending Greg and his Eleanor transkit. I hope to do a detailed how-to, eventually. I already have my Gravity Paint for the model, plus a bunch of required parts. Just need to locate some tires. Greg...thanks for your courtesy and prompt service! It has been a pleasure!

Wow! I didn't think it was expensive at all. Pigments in paint is what makes it expensive. Try buying One Shot or better yet, get a gallon of PPG Corvette Torch Red.

I just got my order today. I was always one to shy away from urethanes, but last year I had the pleasure of working at Eastwood. I sold a lot of paint to shops and walk-ins. As with any chemical, you need to know what your dealing with. I had a chance to use their paint on a model and I was very impressed with the results. This being said, I plan on doing a detailed article in my "Running At Redline" column. I'd like to see people use product effectively and safely. The results are really beautiful. It also opens up new color options that might not be available otherwise. So...stay tuned!

Only Chrome looks like chrome. I have seen something from Australia that is the closest to chrome, but is made of silver. Very expensive. I posted this as a DURABLE substitute to Alcad.

Big thank you to all, for your very kind words! The shop has been busy. I'll be sure to entertain you again, very soon!

Quick note to Greg: Been in the shop....get your checkbook ready! Just wanted to share..... I'm currently restoring a Corgi Green Hornet Black Beauty. The grille was badly marred and I really didn't want to send it out to be rechromed. Not sure it would have taken to the process, well. Since this is an ancient piece, I was looking at more friendly procedures. Some of you may know that I have worked at Eastwood. Yes, the restoration supply place. While there, I had the chance to use their liquid chrome process. Basically, it is Alcad. I masked off a valve cover, which was already painted black. The initial coverage was supposed to be light and I used my own airbrush. It went on nice and really popped. After the recommended drying time, I went back and put on the clear....it dulled immediately. Problem I've had with most metallizers. I even tried their 2K urethane which made it look more like steel. Obviously, I never recommended or encouraged the product. After a few days, I noted that the surface was cracking like an old lacquer paint job! Now to the problem at hand...my grille! I get tons of product emails and one announced a new chrome paint. Duplicolor Chrome, #CS101. So off to Autozone I go....I find it, not expensive. I read the destructions and see it needs a little prep. Using Eastwood's Pre, I cleaned the part and made sure that there was no crud in the grille horizontals. So....I warm up the can (warm water, no stove, please!), shake it up well and give it a squirt! Part was not primed, not base coated black...just painted over the existing finish. Here's what I got.... ...It dried shiney...not dull. The pic below is after a few hours. I touched it and it is durable. Quite frankly...I'm sold! I do plan on trying a black base and I'll play with some clears....I'll keep you all posted.

Lol! I know, Tom! I did see you, but you were as popular as the Pope. Couldn't get near enough at NNL.